It is generally known to use automated bagging systems for meat products such as individual cuts of meat. In such known systems, the cuts of meat are individually placed or wrapped in a bag and air is subsequently evacuated from the bag. However, one shortcoming associated with such known bagging systems is that cuts of meat are sporadically conveyed to such bagging systems in an ebb and flow of product, resulting in one or more of a lack of timely product, blockages, and massive accumulation of product at the bagging systems.
It is also generally known to use machines that function to provide separation and single file placement of raw bulk poultry that is provided to a weighing scale (e.g. AEW Delford Systems checkweighers scale model No. G1000 commercially available from Marel Food Systems of Lexena, Kans.) or a check weigh scale (e.g. commercially available from Marel Food Systems of Lexena, Kans.). One such machine for use with bulk poultry is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,899 entitled “Positive Spacing Conveyor Apparatus” issued Apr. 21, 1998 to Roger Dale Pugh et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
Accordingly, there is a need for systems for conveying food items to an automated bagging system or other downstream processing system. Further there is a need for systems for conveying food items to an automated bagging system that aids in the prevention of one or more of untimely product, blockages, and accumulation of product at the bagging or packaging systems.